Blast torch



Nov. 30, 1948. v s. c. BRODY 2,455,221

I BLAST TORCH I Filed May 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ,Samuel (LEI-12 ATTORNEY Nov. 30, 1948. 2 s. c. BRODY I 2,455,221

BLAST TORCH Filed May 29, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Samuel C. 82:09

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 30, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE 14 Claims.

This invention relates to automatic blast torches of the self-generating type and discloses various torch constructions for efiiciently utilizing the heat developed by the perforated combustion burner for quickly and thoroughly volatilizing the fuel supplied to said burner from the fuel chamber of the torch before it reaches said burner and is combusted therein.

According to my present invention, the pressure generating tube to which the combustion burner is assembled is located, in part at least, within a heating chamber which is a part of the casing and overlies the top end closure of the fuel chamber in close proximity thereto. The gas outlet end of said tube extends through the wall of the heating chamber to receive the burner and the gas inlet end of said tube is open to the interior construction of the casing.

As a result of this construction, when the torch is operating, heat from the burner is continuously conducted to and by the pressure generating tube, to and by the top end closure of the casing, and to and by the wall of the casing to the interior of the casing to cause the fuel to be thoroughly volatilized into gas and continuously delivered to the burner in a condition best suited for combustion therein so as to produce a steady, uniform blast flame of high intensity.

Alternatively, I may provide a barrier within the casing which subdivides the casing when so arranged into a fuel chamber and a superposed gas chamber.

Other advantages of my torch will appear as this description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have shown several embodiments of my invention:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of one form of my torch.

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a modification.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of a jet unit which may be used with my torch.

Figs. 6 and 7 show another modification.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show a still further modification, and

Figs. 11 and 12 show still further modifications.

I have indicated generally at ID the pressure generating unit of an automatic blast torch of the self-generating type. Unit ID includes a casing, which may be of cylindrical, oval or other cross-section, and is formed to provide a fuelchamber I! closed at its lower end by a filling closure l2 and at its upper end by another closure l3. Within fuel chamber ll may be mounted a barrier l4, preferably of permeable material, having an opening l5 therein preferably for the passage of suitable wicking l6. Barrier i4 is shown as spaced from closure 1 3 to provide a gas chamber I! but may be in contact with said closure (see Figs. 11 and 12) so as to be superheated thereby if so desired.

Beyond closure i3 casing is may be extended as at l8 to provide a heating chamber I9 of any desired depth in prolongation of said fuel chamber. Extending through an opening IS in the wall of the casing and lying in close proximity to closure 13 for a portion of its length is a pressure generating tube 20 (sometimes called a wick tube or gooseneck) to the outer end of which a combustion burner 2! is assembled, as by means of the jet unit 22 depicted in Fig. 5. Jet unit 22 is generally similar to that shown in my prior Patent No. 2,102,404, dated December 14, 1937. v

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, tube 20 extends horizontally across the heating chamber for a portion of its length and is then down-turned to enter an opening 23 in 25 the top closure it for the purpose of communicating with the interior of the casing.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the construction is generally the same as in Figs. 1 and 2 except that the tube extends horizontally across the heating chamber for sub- .stantially the entire width thereof before being turned downwardly to enter an opening 24 in the top closure I3 of the fuel chamber for the purpose of communicating with the interior of the casing.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, tube 20 extends horizontally through and across the heating chamber from side to side thereof and at the side remote from the combustion burner is carried through an opening 25 in the casing wall, then extends downwardly and exteriorly of the casing, as indicated at 26, and then inwardly through the casing wall as at 21 for the purpose of communicating with the interior of the casing.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, tube 20 is of substantially T-shape. The horizontal portion thereof extends entirely .through and across the heating chamber and the vertical portion 28 thereof extends through an opening 29 in the top end closure l3 of the fuel chamber for the purpose of communicating with the interior of the casing. In this form of the invention the horizontal portion of tube 20 which lies to the left of the vertical portion. 28 constitutes an additional and superheated gas pressure chamber 30 into which gas under pressure enters from the subjacent gas chamber l1 and becomes super-heated and super-expanded to such an extent as to continuously and strongly force through pressure the highly volatilized and highly expanded gases into the combustion burner.

In the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the barrier I4 is illustrated as in contact with the topclosure 13 of the fuel chamber so as to be continuously superheated thereby when the torch is operating. In these forms of my invention the vaporization of the fuel is accelerated by reason of the additional heat continuously carried to the barrier by the top closure.-

This permits the gases to expand and further volatilize while passing through the pressure generating tube before entering the combustion burner.

In all forms, the connection of tube 20 with the wall of the heating chamber is preferably an unbroken connection which serves as a continuous conductor of heat to said wall when the torch is operating.

In all forms the operation is as follows:

" The torch is primed and started in the usual manner and promptly heat from the combustion burner is conducted to and by tube 20 through its connections to and by the wall of the casing, and to and by the end closure l3 and to and by the barrier M to therebycontinuously and strongly volatilize the fuel into gas which is delivered to the combustion burner and combusted therein to produce a steady and continuous blast flame of high intensity at the blast end of the burner.

The foregoing embodiments ofmy' invention are suggestive of the many modifications which may be made therein while still utilizing my basic principle of continuous heat conductance for very efiiciently vaporizing the fuel before its delivery to the burner. restricted to any precise form illustrated, but assert for my invention a breadth and scope commensurate with that defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a torchya pressure generating unit comprising a casing formed to provide a fuel chamber having a top closure, a pressure generating tube lying in part at least above and extending transversely and in close proximity to and in heat exchange relationship with said closure and comr'nunicating at its gas intake end with the interior of the casing, and a perforated combustion burner assembled to the gas outlet end of said tube with its gas inlet end in contact with the wall of the casing so that when the torch is operating heat from said burner is continuously conducted by said tube and by said closure to the interior of the casing and direct heat exchange occurs between said burner and said casing wall. p 2. The torch of claim 1 in which the-pressure generating tube is a T-shaped member, the vertical leg'of said tube being open to the fuel chamber and a portion of the horizontal leg of said tube providing an additional and superheated expansion chamber.

3. In a torch, a pressure generator 'unit comrisinga casing formed to provide a fuel chamber having a top closure, a barrier within said chamher and spaced from said closure to provide a gas chamber, apressure generating tube lying in part at least above and extending transversely and in close proximity to. and in heat exchange relationship with said closure and communicating at its gas inlet end with said gas chamber, and a Accordingly, I do not wish to be perforated combustion burner assembled to the gas outlet end of said tube with its gas inlet end in contact with the wall of the casing so that when the torch is operating heat from said burner is continuously conducted by said tube and by said closure and said barrier to said gas chamber and direct heat exchange occurs between said burner and said casing wall.

4.,The torch of claim 3 in which the pressure generating tube is a T-shaped member, the vertical leg of said tube being open to the gas chamher and a portion of the horizontal leg of said tube providing an additional and superheated gas expansion chamber.

5. In a torch, a pressure generating unit comhaving a closure at its upper end, the casing wall being extended at its upper end to form a heating chamber disposed above and in close proximity to said closure, a pressure generating tube lying in part at least within said heating chamber above and in close proximity to said closure and in heat exchange relationship therewith and communicating at its gas intake end with said fuel chamber, and a perforated combustion burner assembled to the gas outlet end of said tube with its gas inlet end in contact with the extended portion of the casing wall so that when the torch is operating heat from said burner is continuously conducted by said tube and by said closure to the interior of said casing and direct heat exchange occurs between said burner and said casing wall.

6. The torch of claim 5 in which the pressure generating tube extends entirely across the casing and at both of its ends is in contact with the extended portion of the casing wall to provide double conduction of heat from the burner by way of said wall to the fuel chamber.

'7. The torch of claim 5 in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating tube extends downwardly through said top closure and is open to said fuel chamber.

8. The torch of claim 5 in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating tube extends through the extended portion of the casing wall and re-enters the interior of the casing below said top closure.

9. The torch of claim 5 in which the pressure generating tube is a T-shaped member, the vertical leg of said tube being open to the fuel chamber and a portion of the horizontal leg of said tube providing an additional and superheated gas expansion chamber.

10. The torch of claim 5 in which a barrier is positioned within said fuel chamber beneath said closure and spaced therefrom to provide a gas chamber, and in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating tube is open to said gas chamber.

11. The torch of claim 10 in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating unit extends downwardly through said top closure and is open to said gas chamber. I

12. The torch of claim 5 in which a barrier is positioned within said fuel chamber beneath said closure and spaced therefrom to provide a gas chamber, and in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating tube is open to said gas chamber, and in which the gas intake end of said pressure generating tube extends through the extended portion of the casing wall and re-enters 'the interior of the casing atsaid gas chamber.

being extended at its upper end to provide a heating chamber above the top closure of the fuel chamber, a pressure generating tube lying in part at least within said heating chamber above and in close proximity to and in heat exchange rela-- tionship with said closure and communicating at its gas inlet end with said fuel chamber, and a perforated combustion burner assembled to the gas outlet end of said tube with its gas inlet end in contact with the extended wall of said casing, so that when the torch is operating heat from said burner is continuously conducted by said tube and by said closure to the interior of said casing and direct heat exchange occurs between said burner and the extended wall of said casing.

14. In a torch, a pressure generating unit comprising a casing formed to provide a fuel chamber having a closure at its upper end, a barrier within said casing and in contact with said closure so as to be heated thereby when the torch is operating, said barrier having an opening therethrough, a pressure generating tube lying in part at least above and extending transversely and in close proximity to said closure and in heat exchange relationship therewith and communicating at its REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 382,558 Schlumberger May 8, 1888 1,966,252 Lasher et a1 July 10, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,131 Great Britain Dec. 18, 1900 

